Ladle for molten metal.



No. 663,945. Patented Dec. l8; I900. J. A. WALDBURGER & W. J. SMITH.

LADLE FDR MULTEN METAL.

(Application filed Apr. 5, 1900.) (No Model.)

Wifnesses.

UNITED STATES THEE PENN SYLVA NIA.

LADLE FOR lVlOLTEN METAL.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 663,945, dated December is, 1906.

Application filed April 5, 1900. Serial No. 11,649. (No model.)

TO all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN A. WALDBURGER and WILLIAM J. SMITH, citizens of the United States, residing at McKeesport, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered new and useful Improvements in Ladles for Molten Metal, of which the following is a specification.

In the accompanying drawings, which make part of this specification, Figure I is a plan of our improved ladle. Figs. II and III are sections of the ladle on the lines II II and III III, respectively, but showing the accumulation of skull in the upper part of the ladle.

The purposes of our invention, generally stated, are to construct a ladle which shall not require such frequent relining as is now customary in ladles used for holding molten metal, and, further, to construct a ladle from which the skull, or the rim of chilled metal at the top of the ladle, may be more readily removed than in the present practice. lVe accomplish these results by the use of a composite lining, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

As ladles are now made they are lined continuously from top to bottom with brick or other suitable material. The molten iron adheres to the same in the form of skull, and more particularly at or near the line of the level of the liquid and also at the bottom of the ladle. The usual way of removing skull is to tip the ladle violently and jar the skull out. If this is not successful, the skull must be removed by hammering it clear. This dislodgment of the skull in the manner just described involves frequent removal of the brick to clean the ladle of the chilled iron. The skull which forms gradually in the bottom of the ladle cannot be removed Without removing the whole lining of the ladle. This temporarily puts the ladle out of use, as well as involving a very considerable expense of labor and materials for relining the same. Our invention seeks to avoid these losses and delays and practically renders the ladles continuous in use, as the portion requiring relining is only an inconsiderablefraction of the whole surface of the ladle.

While we have illustrated our invention in connection with a bottom plug which is used where the bottom skull is dislodged by means of a power-ram applied through the bottom of the ladle, as described in application of even date herewith and filed by us, Serial No. 11,650, nevertheless the novel top ring of our ladle is not confined to use with this particular bottom, but maybe applied to any type of ladle used for carrying molten metal. The ladle shown is also provided with trunnions and bearing-lugs, which are specially adapted for use with the skull-removing apparatus employed in the concurrent application above referred to; but these parts are not essential when other methods of removing the skull are employed.

In the several views, 2 is the ordinary metallic shell of'the ladle.

3 is the usual brick lining on the bottom and on the sides of the ladle up to a point preferably somewhat below the line of the fillinglevel of the ladle. Making an even joint with the upper edge of said brick lining is a metallic top ring 4. This ring is preferably formed in sections, as shown in the drawings with sections a a. The most desirable construction is to have these sections lap-jointed, as shown at b I). Said sections may be bolted or riveted to the shell, as shown at c o, with countersunk heads on theinside of theladle. These sections have spacing projections d d at boltholes, which serve to hold the ring spaced upon the shell and permit of a filling of loam 5 being placed between the ring and the sides of the shell, as well as between the brick lining 3 and the sides of the shell. This loam additionally serves to protect the shell of the ladle from burning out. The metal ring can either be made of cast-iron or cast-steel or built up of plates and can be made in such number of sections as will be found most suitable to the size and shape of the ladle, the sections being of proper size to prevent their cracking or warping. The arrangement of the sections is such that each can be removed and replaced in a short time independently and without disturbing the other sections.

7 7 are trunnions, and 8 8 bearing-lugs,

which are utilized when the skull and the bottom of the ladle are removed by the power mechanism above referred to.

9 9 are the lugs by which the ladle is lifted and shifted by the crane.

10 represents that portion of the formation of the skull which occurs at or near the level of the top of the molten metal.

11 is a hole in the bottom of the metal shell 2 for the insertion of a ram or plunger to lift the skull off the bottom of the ladle. hole is filled by a metal plug 12, provided with a flange 13, extending around the hole.

This metal plate is covered over with a lining consisting of brick or other material in such a way as to secure against leakage and also lined in such a way that when the ram or plunger is pushed up through the bottom of the ladle only that lining is removed that lies on top of the plug and which covers so small an area that it can be speedily replaced. The plug 12 can be reused again and again.

It will be apparent that in a ladle thus described we have effectually safeguarded the two most critical places in aladle for the accumulation of skull--namely, the periphery of the ladle at or near the top and also the bottom of the ladle.

The skull that accumulates at the top of the ladle will be more readily dislodged in its adhesion to the metallic ring and with less danger of disturbing the sections of the ring which are firmly bolted to the shell than if the upper portion of' the shell had merely brick or ordinary lining. The brick lining This on the sides of the shell below the ring will also be held more permanently in place by reason of its being bound in by the metallic ring above. No portion of the bottom lining will necessarily be disturbed except that which lies immediately over the plug 11, and this can be a small section separable from the balance of .the bottom lining, and therefore of incomputable' importance.

Having described our invention, we claim- 1. In a ladle for molten metal a combination of a metallic shell; a non-metallic lining for the bottom and the lower portion of the sides and a metallic lining for the upper part of the ladle.

2. In a ladle for molten metal a combination of a metallic shell; a non-metallic lining for the bottom and the lower portion of the sides and a sectional metallic lining for the upper part of the ladle.

3. In a ladle for molten metal a combination of a metallic shell; a non-metallic lining for the bottom and the lower portion of the sides and a metallic lining for the upper part of the ladle, the linings for the sides of the ladle being set out therefrom and non conducting material being interposed between the side linings and the sides of the shell.

Signed at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, this 24th dayof March, 1900.

JOHN A. WALDBURGER. WILLIAM J. SMITH. Witnesses:

WM. L. PIERCE, L. D. IAMS. 

